Hand-truck.



No. 868,705` l PATENTED OCT. 22, 1907.

C. F.. SGHELL.

` HAND TRUCK. APPLIUATION HLBDo'omzs. 1905.

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Morne? No. 868,705. PATENTED OCT. 22, 1907. C. F. SCHELL.

HAND TRUCK. APPLIUATION FILED 0OT.23. 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

JJM v a and to otherwise improve on devices of this character.

CHARLES I". SOHELL, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK,

OF BUFFALO,

ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO GEORGE SCIIELL, NEW YORK.

HAND-TRUCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 22, 1907.

Application filed October 23,1905. Serial No. 283,986.

To all whom tt may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES F. SCHELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hand/Drucks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in handtrucks, and moreparticularly to attachments for the same, by means of which the truck may be held against rearward movement when in the act of forcing the nose of the same under an object to be loaded onto the truck and also when swinging the object down onto the truck.

lhe object of my invention is the production of a suitable brake-mechanism for hand-trucks which is mounted loosely on the axle of the truck and which is arranged to normally hang loosely and evenly thereon so that the body of the truck may be swung into any position or angle without offering the least obstruction to the forward or backward movement of the truck; to provide foot-operated mechanism to swing the brakedevice into its braking position and to so construct the foot'operated mechanism that the user of the truck can rest his entire weight thereon and thereby acquire an elevated position to permit him to stoop forward between the side bars of the truck and obtain an extended reach forward in order to more conveniently and with greater ease swing rearward the object to be loaded onto the truck; to so construct the brake-device that when stepping onto the foot-operated mechanism the truck is held against movement and both hands of the user are free for taking hold of the object to be placed onto the truck and also to construct the brakedevice that by stepping lightly on the foot-operated mechanism, the truck may be moved forward during the act of forcing the nose under the object, but cannot be moved rearward.

Further objects are to provide for a quick release of the brake-mechanism after the truck-body is swung to a position to permit the truck to be moved forward;

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in the arrangement, construction, and combination of parts to be hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanyingl drawings,-Figu1-e l. is a side elevation of a hand-truck embodying my invention, showing the normal position of the brake-mechanism. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the braking-position of the brake-mechanism. Fig. 3 is an enlarged rear or bottom view of the truck when in the position shown in Fig. l. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section taken on line ywJy, Fig. 3; the brake1nechanism being'shown in its normal or free position. Fig. 5 is a similar section showing the truck swung into substantially the posil tion shown in Fig. 2, with the brake-mechanism in its braking or engaged position. Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section taken on line z-z, Fig. 3. Fig. 7 is a detached perspective view of the brake-device.

Referring to the drawings in detail, like letters of reference refer to like parts throughout the several gures.

The letter A designates the body of the truck which is of common construction and comprises side bars B connected by cross-bars b, t1, and a metallic nose or lip b2 adapted to be thrust underneath the object to be loaded onto the truck.

The truck-body is provided with the usual bearing brackets C in which the axle D is journaled so as to permit the truck to be swung on the axle and the axle to revolve in said brackets.

E are the traction-wheels which are secured to the axle in any suitable manner.

Supports F are secured to the side bars adjacent the handles G into which the rear or upper ends of theside bars terminate.

Thus far the description relates to a truck of common construction, and as hand-trucks now in use differ in construction, I desire to be understood that the construction herein disclosed is merely a representative one and that my attachment to be now described may be attached to trucks differing in construction from that herein shown.

My attachment which I will designate by the letter H is essentially loosely supported and balanced on the axle of the truck so that its pivotal point, when in normal position, remains constant irrespective of what the position or angle of the truck-body may be. This attachment comprises two longitudinal bars I supported on the axle adjacent the traction-wheels, and connected at their front ends by a cross-bar .I the opposite ends of said longitudinal bars having laterally and oppositely extending vHat pieces riveted thereto which serve as brake-shoes and are adapted to act with their side edges against the wheels and the floor, respectiv ely. Said longitudinal bars are bent between their ends and normally rest with the Crotch]I thus formed on the axle; the bars on opposite side of the said crotch beingV therefore inclined toward the floor. In order to hold the bars on the axle, a V-shaped clip K is riveted to the underside of 'each of the bars so that the axle is loosely inclosed within a diamond-shaped loop It formed by the angular portion. of the longitudinal bar and said clip. Said loops are slightly wider than the diameter of the shaft and therefore the brake attachment is suspended freely on the axle.

To the underside of the cross-bar I, a clip L is riveted to form a loop Z into which the front end of a foot-lever M extends; said lever having secured to its underside a clip N surrounding the axle, and having its rear end QOLSpring-bar R, and the brake-device elevated at the curved, as at O, to provide a convenient rest ior the oot.

The brake-mechanism being loosely suspended on the axle, is balanced thereon and tree to swing and in order to prevent undue swinging movement, I secure to the cross-bar b ot the truck a stop-bar l? which has its tree end in close proximity to the rear end oi one oi the longitudinal bars to limit the upward swinging movement of the device at the rear end thereof, while like movement is prevented at the front end oi the device by a spring-bar R secured to the crossbar bl ot the truck and extending lengthwise oi the truck with its tree end in proximity tothe cross-bar .l of the brake-device.

When using the truck the operator places the nose thereof underneath the object to be placed upon the truck and simultaneously places his loot upon the opv erating-lever to cause the bralieeshoes to be swung against the traction-whculs and floor. Duri 4 thi agement tion the cross-bar .l is swung into ei the center andliorward end so that the axle lits into the bend ot the clip. The operator may now support himself on the operating-lever, which assures a positive braking action, alter which the object may be swung against the truck and the latter lowered. On releasing the toot-lever, the spring-bar R forces the brake-device into its normal position, alter which the truck may be moved forward. By reason oi the brake-shoes being flat with their side redgesbeating against the tractionwheels and floor, respectively, the truck, when the brake-mechanism is set lightly, may be moved lorward, but not backward, the brake-shoes when moving lorward simply sliding over the floor.

This invention is susceptible to many changes in form, construction and arrangement without departing from the spirit oi my invention and without sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

Having thus described my invention, what l claim is,-

1. The combination with a truck having an axle and traction-wheels on said axle, of a brake-device having connected longitudinal arms bent between their ends to lie suspended on said axle, said arms having brake-shoes at one of their ends, and means to swing the brake-device on the axle to set said brake-shoes against' the tractionwheels.

2. The combination with a truck having an axle and tionwheels and the floor, and an operating-lever having also direct pivotal connection with the axle and in operative connection with said brakearms, said operating-lever adapted to swing the rear ends thereof toward the door to bring the brake-shoes in contact with the tractionwheels and the iloor.

3. The combination with a truck having an axle and traction-wheels, o1' braliemechanism comprising two longitudinal bars lying on the axle at points between their ends and having corresponding ends connected, a brake-shoe carried at each of the other ends, means to hold said bars to the axle, and means to force the longitudinal bars down against the door to bring the brake-shoes in Contact with both the tloor and the traction-wheels.

4. The combination with a truck having an axle and traction-wheels, of hrakemechanism comprising two longitudinal bars bent to direct opposite ends toward the Hoor, a brake-shoe at the rear end of each bar, a connection between the trent ends of said bars, and a foot-lever iul cruined on the axle and engaging the brake-mechanism to cause the brake-shoes to be swung against the tractionwhcels and the I'loor.

he combination with a truck having an axle and traction-wheels, oi' brake-nlechanism comprising two longitudinal bars bent between their ends and having loops at the bent portion to loosely surround the axle, brake-shoes at one ot' the ends of said bars, a bar connecting the other ends of said bars and having a loop, and an operatinglever pivotally connected to the axle and having its front end entering the last mentioned loop.

G. The combination with a truck having an axle and traction-wheels, of a brakedevice having flat brake-shoes arranged to bear with their side edges against the traction-wheels and iloor, respectively, when the brake-device is set.

T. The combination with a truck having an axle and traction-wheels, oi' a brake-device loosely suspended on the axle and comprising two longitudinal bars having brake-shoes at one of their ends and a rigid connection between their other ends, means secured to the truck to maintain said brake-device in normal position, and an operating-lever connected with the brake-device and adapted to swing the latter into its braking position.

8. The combination with a truck having an axle and traction-wheels, of a brake-device loosely suspended on the axle and comprising two longitudinal bars having brakeshoes at one of their ends and a crossehar connecting their other ends, an operating-lever pivotally attached to the axle and having its front end connected to said cross-bar, a stop-bar extending from the truck and having its free end in proximity to the rear end of one of the longitudinal bars, and a spring-bar secured to the truck and having its tree end in proximity to the said cross-bar, said spring-bar boing engaged and delleeted on swinging the brake-device into its braking position.

In testimony whereof, I have afxed my signature in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES F. SCHELL.

Witnesses z EMIL Ninfiramf, Mar F. Snwnn'r. 

